Wagon-rack



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet .1'.

V R.k CALDWELL.

y WAGON RACK. A A n No. 380,181.` l Patented Mam.'Z7, 1888.A

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z'card Caldwell. l

(NoModeL). 2 Sheets-.Sheet' A L. CALDWELL.

. WAGON RACK..

' No! 380,181.' Patented Mar. 21,1888." C

N. PETERS Bilder# @Lidy/l 4 E] .75,

n* UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

E'ICHAED CALDWELL, or TIP'roN, MICHIGAN.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 380,181, datedMarch 27.1.888.

Application filed November 7, 1887. Serial No. 254,501.y (No model.)

T aZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD CALDWELL, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Tipton, in the county of Lenawee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wagon-Racks, ofvwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

kThis invention relates to new and useful improvements in combination-racks forwagons;

and the invention consists in the peculiar coustructionandarrangementoftheparts,whereby great strength may be secured with close economy in construction, and which may be readily secured to or removed from the wagon-box, a'nd may be adjusted for use as a hay-rack or a cattle-rack, as occasion requires, all as more'I fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings which accompany this'speci- 2@ fication, Figure lis a perspective view of my improved rack attached to an'ordinary wagon-` box and adjusted as ai hayrack. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same adjusted for use as a cattle-rack. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through a pair of the stakes of the rack, and Fig. 4E is a detached perspective of one` of the caps. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section.

A are the sides, B the ends,.C the flooring, andF the cross-girts, of a wagon-box of ordinary construction. The ends of the gifts project from the sides of the wagon-box, land are provided with mortises a, which form keepers in which the lower ends of the stakes G of the side racks, D, engage. These stakes consist of two parts hinged together. The lower part, G', is of greater height than the wagon-box, and the upper part, I, is of suitable length to attach thereto the longitudinal strips J which form the rack. The hinge-connection between the two parts of the stakes is preferably constructed in the form of a rule-joint, with a metallic tongue, c, secured in the upper part and entering into a slot in the lower part, and connected thereto by means of the hinge-pin d.

lThe top of the stake G is provided with the inward'projection e, which rests upon the top of the wagon-box, and with the downwardlyprojecting angef, which holds the stake se curely in place on the wagon-box. I prefer- 5o ably make the lip-fiange f integrally in one piece with the metallic cap k, as shown in Fig.

' ,4. This cap is merely intended to re-enforce the top of the stake G to prevent all dangerv of the woody splitting. It will thus be readily understood that the lower part ofthe stake is x' C 5 held firmly in position on the side ofthe wagon-...f box, while the upper part freelyturns outward upon the joint.

Tosupport the racks in an inclined position i for use as a hay-rack, as shown in Fig.,1,- each lstake is provided with a brace, o'r preferably apair of braces, h h, which turn "on a fixed pivot, t', on the upper part of the stake,.and"y lare connected together at the loweri'endby means of a pin, j, which engages intoaislot,1l, in the lower part of the stake,` to allow of a vertical movement of the pin j in changing the position ofthe racks. Instead off'the pin 7,

one or more' of the braces may be provided `with a bolt 'and' thumb-nut, k, `by means of 7 J whichv the two braces may be iirmly clamped; Aagainst thesides of the stakes, andthe rack thus be held in its adjusted position against accidental displacement.

L and M are the end pieces ory ladders forl 7 5l the front andrear ends of 'the wagon-box, re'- spectively, when used for a hay-rack. To; v secure these ladders in position I secure upon the outside of theend-gates of the wagon-box the wedge-shaped cleats M, betweenwhich the wedgefshaped lower ends of the ladders are inserted and held in place by the straps n, and, if desired, locking-pins o may be used to prevent their withdrawal. Thus a secure'fasteningis had for the ladders, which may beleft 8 5 permanently upon the wagon-box without de- .tracting from its appearance, and also without taking up any space inside* the box.

When the rack is in the position shown in Fig. 1, for use asa hay-rack, and it is desired 9o to change it into a cattle-rack, the end 'ladders are removed and the side stakes are straightened up intoa verticalv position. In place of the ladders, I then secure the end racks, N N', which are shown in Fig. 2, and are formed of the uprights p and the cross-strips r, and which are secured in position by means of locking-bolts s, which pass through the side racks and the end racks. `The uprights p extend down inside the wagon-box, and at their lower points are provided with a pin, t, which engages into a suitable recess formed in the inner face of the end-gate to prevent the cattle, sheep, or hogs confined inside from lifting the rack up out of its position on the box, and' thereby finding an avenue of escape.

To change from the cattle-rack into a hayrack, the locking-bolts and end racks are removed from their position, the side racks turned outwardly, and the end ladders put in place, all of which takes but little time and labor. In this connection it willbe noticed that the ends of the braces h rest upon the girts F, so that the weight which they sustain is brought onto the latter instead of on the pin i. It will thus be seen that-the only parts which are required to be changed in adjusting the rack from one use to another are the end pieces and locking-bolts or tie-rods. There are no loose parts, as in other constructions, and no extra supports are required to be put upon the wagon-box to hold the rack in position. Any ordinary wagon-box may be provided with my attachment, and in the absence ofthe girts F suitable keepers to set the stakes in maybe provided of iron and attached to the under side of the wagon with little expense and without detracting from its appearance.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a wagon-rack, the combination, with the wagon-body, of the side racks, D, consisting of the stakes G, constructed in two parts hinged together, the upper part having the longitudinal strips .I secured to it and the lower part engaging into keepers on the wagon-box, and provided with the elongated slot t and the projection e and the overhanging flange f, and the parallel braces h, pivotally secured at their upper ends and connected at their lower ends with a pin or bolt engaging into the slot in the lower part of the stake, all substantially as described.

2. In a Wagonrack, the combination, with the Wagon-body, of the side racks, D, consisting of the stakes G, constructed in two-parts rule-jointed together, the upper part vhaving the longitudinal strips J secured to it and the lower part engaging into keepers on the wagonbox, and provided with the projection e and the metallic cap k, covering the top of the stake and forming a part of the hinge, and hav ing the overhanging flange f, and the braces h, pivotally secured at their upper ends and .connected at their lower ends by a pin or bolt engaging into a slot in the lower part of the stake, all substantially as described.

3. In a wagon-rack, the wagon-body, the side racks, D, the end racks, L M, supported upon the end-gates of the wagon and engaging therewith against vertical displacement, the wedge-shaped cleats m, the straps n, the locking-bolt 0, passed through the strap into the end rack, and the locking-bolts s, all combined to operate substantially as described.

4. In a wagon-rack, the wagon-body, the side racks, D, removably secured to the wagonbody, the end racks, L M, supported upon the end-gatesof the wagon, and having the pins t, engaging into said end-gates, and the lockingbolts s, passing through the side racks and end racks, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the end-board B of the wagon-body, the wedge-shaped cleats m, secured to the outside of the end-board and provided with stops n, of the ladder M, provided with wedgeshaped lowerends, and the lock 75 ing-bolts o, all arranged substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 5th day of 

